FDA recalls more cinnamon products in the US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking additional steps to address concerns about elevated lead levels in cinnamon following a recent incident associated with certain cinnamon apple sauce pouches, which were recalled in the US late last year.

The agency has now sent a letter to all cinnamon manufacturers, processors, distributors and facility operators in the US, reminding them of the requirement to implement controls to prevent contamination from potential chemical hazards in food, including ground cinnamon products. The agency is also recommending the voluntary recall of certain ground cinnamon products sold by a number of brands at six different retail chains that were found to contain elevated levels of lead.

The lead levels found in these ground cinnamon products was significantly lower than lead levels in cinnamon in the recalled apple sauce pouches. And no illnesses or adverse events have been reported to date related to the ground cinnamon products, but the FDA is concerned that, because of the elevated lead levels in these products, continued and prolonged use of the products may be unsafe.

The products currently recommended for recall contain lead levels ranging from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million (ppm) lead. The level of lead in the ground cinnamon recommended for recall is approximately 2000 ppm to nearly 5000 ppm lower than the levels of lead associated with the cinnamon in recalled apple puree and apple sauce products.

“Today’s actions serve as a signal to industry that more needs to be done to prevent elevated levels of contaminants from entering our food supply,” said Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones on 7 March 2024.

While working towards issuing final guidance for lead action levels in food intended for infants and young children remains a priority, these recalls and letter to industry underscore that the FDA does not need action levels or guidance to take action when the level of a contaminant, such as lead, is unsafe.

The agency is also working with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local partners to investigate elevated lead and chromium levels in individuals with reported exposure to apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches manufactured in Ecuador and sold in the US. This work led to the voluntary recall of these products in October 2023.

The full list of cinnamon products now being recalled is available on the FDA website.

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